The Milwaukee Bronzeville Poet Series

Genuine Article

 

There’s always been a struggle between me not seeking to be something that I’m not while not being content with where I am

 

Don’t be confused - I’ll not deal in subterfuge, I simply refuse

To be who I’m not - If I can help it (laughing)

 

These balled up pieces of paper attest to the many starts and stops of what I’m trying to become I ain’t dumb, I’m just slow to succumb to the pull of the sublime - those external forces You call ‘em opportunities, I see ‘em as threats

Trying to form a Mike Tyson - like chokehold over my mind, body, and soul - the result? To squeeze the life out of this

 

Genuine article

 

I ain’t no brand name, set of pre-established criteria, or prewritten policy - Believin’ the hype that I must fit a certain type to make it - I’d rather die than try living by fakin it. No matter what my age - I won’t ever “act” it, I’ll still jump hope, dodge y’all, never be yo’ monkey in the middle, duck that noose - I will,

 

Do the red-light-green - light thing, send over red roverI’ll be ebonically in tact, while remaining the consummate professional - I wear both hats well. And I look good in ‘em cause I’m a genuine article Yo those scrap pieces of paper don’t disappear, but frankly the music does because trash is what we hear; we fear to stand out

 

We vacuum up those scattered dreams and watch life pan out

See people like me come out writing a rated PG13 movie, while you punks sit on hand outs, instead of confining to the hype I reach my hands out to something called success While the rest of the world continues to deliver me my D-Day I live the Botox life smiling as if it was my B-day

 

Carrying on these carry-ons, which expel me from fitting in. Its almost like we should be standing up for something but we’re always sittin in

 

Well I learned from being around genuine articles

The kind that mind not - never subscribing to the daily grind Just stop for one second and realize that without ‘em Non’ you would have a chance to quit the dance, to stop the madness Like I fight hard everyday to

 

‘Cause see I’m a do what I gotta do - to thy own self be true

This knowledge can be lethal only if I don’t use it

And like Rosa Parks, Daisy Bates, and Michelle Obama I don’t plan to lose it

 

You can keep yo’ standard operating procedure, see what it profs ya' Going against the grain is my main thing even if it brings the most pain, I still gain

The satisfaction of knowing I lived like a genuine article

See adversity and misery are close friends of mine, but you wouldn’t understand our relationship’s ride, ‘cuz to you she hasn’t even said Hi

 

And people be trying to micro-manage my life

By advising one problem - What are you trying to imply?

So when I hear speeches I don’t even reply because obviously pain doesn’t get to them.But I’ll tell you how I feel about this struggle category?

It’s not a very good war story if you’ve never been to war. But you’re not poor, you aint even know there’s a war - like those dead bodies in Louisiana before.

 

So as you blindly follow the previously hunted ducks, I’ll duck the standard and jump over the hype until the end of time I didn’t mention my entourage diversity also is a good friend of mineBut this isn’t “risqué” enuff for an article because I am genuine !!

 

 

                                                © 2014 Blanche Brown